Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to Beasley, W. D..
Standard arc welders or power supplies are hooked up in parallel or series connections to obtain an adequate supply of current or voltage for various purposes. This method provides maximum flexibility in a wide range of voltages and currents.
Continuous operation, single phased, induction plasma accelerator producing supersonic speeds
Direct flow velocity measurements in low density plasma
A crossed-field, continuous-flow plasma accelerator has been built and operated. The highest measured velocity of the flow, which was driven by the interaction of the electric and magnetic fields, was about 500 meters per second. Some of the problems discussed are ion slip, stability and uniformity of the discharge, effect of the magnetic field on electron emission, use of preionization, and electrode contamination.
Induced discharges are advantageous for ionizing low-density flows in that they introduce no electrode contamination into the flow and they provide a relatively high degree of ionization with good coupling of power into the gas. In this investigation a 40-megacycle oscillator was used to produce and maintain induced discharges in argon and mercury-vapor flows. Methods for preventing blowout of the discharge were determined, and power measurements were made with an in-line wattmeter. Some results with damped oscillations pulsed at 1,000 pulses per second are also presented.